front end wobble

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Dec 30, 2008 | 08:20 PM

#31

JohnK-NJ

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Joined: Aug 2008

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Quote:

Originally Posted by mdemers883

I just bought a 08 fat boy last week. It has about 150 miles on it. It was bone stock, and everything was fine. I had some drag bars installed yesterday. Now, when I'm going about 45-50mph and let go of the bars the front end starts wobbling/bars start thrashing back and forth. Any idea of what may be going on?

Thanks!

Does the problem go away over 50MPH?
What did the dealer charge you for so far?

Dec 31, 2008 | 08:08 PM

#32

junglevan

1st Gear

Joined: Dec 2008

Posts: 5

Likes: 0

Same Problem

I have an '08 Heritage and I have the same problem on de-accel between 45-35. Bone stock and I have been to the dealer 2x's on tis issue and it is still there. They have balanced both front and rear tires, trued both wheels greased it up, blah blah blah! It is still there today and I will have it looked at again in the spring to let them play with it some more. What really pisses me off is the dealership says its normal and to hold on tighter....WTF is that?!? I try not to be an a-hole but it is uncomfortable when going around a long turn and the front wheel feels like it is going to jimmy it self off the bike.

When they did the work it got a little better but then after about 50 miles or so it was back in full force.

Dec 31, 2008 | 08:29 PM

#33

rbabos

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Joined: Mar 2007

Posts: 3,706

Likes: 7

From: Woodstock, Ont , Can

I would love to put one of those frames on a fixture and see how vertical the neck is in relation to the rest of it. Wobble is not a natural tendency unless there is some infuencing factor. Wheel, tire, loose head bearings, vertical centerline of the wheel not vertical due to lower leg or axel slant, or the whole front end is tweaked with the neck as the usual culprit. Time to get out the tape measures and levels boys and stop waisting time with dealers. They may very well know what the issue is, but like the cranks, comps and pre ids clatter, unless you can get one into a dark basement and start pulling their fingernails out with channel locks they won't admit to it. None will be 100% but there is a tolerance of error. It should be within that.
Ron

Last edited by rbabos; Dec 31, 2008 at 08:36 PM.

Jan 1, 2009 | 11:57 AM

#34

rayfinseats

Road Captain

Joined: Mar 2008

Posts: 646

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From:

The Sportsters had drag bars on them for a year or two. The 883C. I had a 2001. One day the wind blew me off the road. Luckily I didn't crash or hit an oncoming car. I changed to standard Sportster bars and never had the problem again. Sometimes you need the leverage. I wonder why HD changed the handlebars?

Jan 2, 2009 | 06:59 PM

#35

hdpearson13

Road Warrior

Joined: Dec 2006

Posts: 1,883

Likes: 17

From: Williamsport, Pa

i have a theory on this because of what ive done to my front end. I had my apes leaning forward ......no problem. then i made them run up even with forks...... wobbly in corners. move them back .......better. moved them back to even.....worster. tightened streering stem with breaker bar then retightened rubber riser thingys.........no wobble. might help might not

Jan 3, 2009 | 04:57 PM

#36

mdemers883

Thread Starter

Cruiser

Joined: Dec 2007

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Well, had my local bike shop retighten my steering stem and adjust the fall back. After examining it, it looks like the HD dealer didn't even do it in the first place after I had paid them to do it. Well, he adjusted it, still got the same problem. Have a completely different set of risers and drag bars going on it now. Hopefully these will work out. If the don't, do you think I have enough evidence to do a warranty claim? I mean, two totally different sets of bars and risers and if the problem persists, that would seem like a warranty claim. Wouldn't it?

Jan 3, 2009 | 06:13 PM

#37

moggsy

Road Captain

Joined: Nov 2005

Posts: 582

Likes: 3

From: Australia

Could be a few things but I would be taking it to your local HD dealer or local wrench and get it checked out.You dont want to muck around the the front end !!!!

Sorry i cant help more.

Jan 3, 2009 | 07:07 PM

#38

Deluxechuck

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Joined: Aug 2007

Posts: 458

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From: Indianapolis, IN

Quote:

Originally Posted by Casey0211

I'm no ace mechanic, but it has to be a problem in the steering head or the wheel. The problem is not the handlebars. Whatever it is, it should be covered by warranty. You just spent 20 grand on a machine. You should get at the very least get a safe ride in return. And a wobble like that just isn't safe or normal.

I'm curious -- did Harley tell you the neck bearings did need adjustment after doing the fallaway? If it did and they did the adjustment, it should work properly now

+1 on the problem not being the handlebars. I don't think that the size and or shape of the bars would have that much of an effect on the way the bike handles. If it were that sensitive then everyone would have trouble just changing grips or adding a windshield.

My guess is that something is is wrong in the neck bering or it may be in the wheel itself. May have nothing to do with the bars at all. May just be that it happen to start doing it when you got new bars? I would bet that if you put the old bars back on you may still have the same problem.

I would just put my foot down with the dealer. There are millions of bikes out there that people have switched out the bars on and not had this problem. If it is that new then the MOCO should fix it. If they still say its the bars causing it then put the old ones back on and see what it does. If it still does it and they can't fix it, then the bike is their problem.
Check out the lemon laws in your state and see what you have to do. In Indiana, it says that if you have to take the vehicle back 3 times for the same problem and they can't get it fixed, then its a lemon.